Faded Memories
by stealingthunder101
Summary: Thalia's time spent as a tree unraveled some of her memories and left her mind unstable. The question is will she join the rising titan king, or side with the gods who abandoned her? Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of Rick Riordan's PJO characters.
1. Chapter 1 Faded Memories

**(Thalia's POV)**

I can't explain why, but I thought I should be dead. I felt like my spark of life went _poof! _And yet, I was still alive- not alive but frozen in time and space. I had no sense of time or what's out there…just the darkness that surrounds me. The only thing I felt was the numbness. I was surrounded by this emptiness. I felt as if I was sinking in it, deeper and deeper, with no chance of ever resurfacing. Losing consciousness. Losing memories…

I tried to think back to what my life was like _before_ the numbness. I got quick glimpses of abandonment, strife, and of a recent pain I don't remember the cause of. These feelings were fleeting, and didn't really spark any whole, real memories. A few names came to mind, but they didn't mean anything to me.

_Luke…Annabeth…Grover…_

I kept chanting the names to myself, to no avail. I couldn't remember how I knew them, or even what they looked like. Doubt crept into my mind. What if I never got my memories back? What if I never found out who Luke, Annabeth, and Grover are? _Enough worrying! _I shouted at myself, _'what if's' don't solve anything. _I focused on the names, resuming my chant. I tried to force myself to remember, to break through the barrier that was separating me from my memories, but my efforts were fruitless. I was no closer to uncovering my hidden past.

Suddenly, the numbness was replaced by searing agony. I felt a raging fire burning through my veins, and I couldn't help but wonder if I was in Tartarus, being tortured for living a life filled with more wrongs than rights. Of course, it didn't quite add up, I didn't recall ever facing judgment, but then again, I haven't remembered much of anything anymore.

The pain still burned through my veins. I didn't know how long it's been, but I really didn't know how much more I could take. I wondered where the breaking point is; when will the pain drive me to insanity?

The pain weakened me, bringing me to the brink of death. I felt my life force fading. It seemed eerily familiar, as if I had died before. But that wasn't possible, was it? People can't die _twice_!

Finally, I felt relief. A blinding light appears and I fought to reach it, dragging myself closer and closer. Finally, I got there and I clung to it, pulling myself out of the dark emptiness. I felt so close to the surface, I knew that I'm almost there… just a little farther…

I opened my eyes.

Opening my eyes was like prying open a door that had been closed for thousands of years. But my hatred of the emptiness drove me past the pain. At first, I hadn't thought that I had truly escaped the emptiness, but eventually, my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cave. I wasn't alone.

I stared at the boy's face hovering over mine. _So familiar... _I felt like I should know him, but no name came to mind as I gazed at the boy before me. This irritated me. I _know _him, I thought. "Who-" I asked.

"Don't worry. You're safe now. You're with me," he replied. He sounded so certain, so confident. It reassured me.

"Am-am I dead?" my voiced cracked. I felt a wave of fear wash over me, which infuriated me. _I _wasn't _afraid_ of anything, especially not death.

He shook his head, then he inquired, "Do you know who you are?"

"I am Thalia," I answered, "Daughter of Zeus."

He grinned, his smile friendly and familiar, "Good, I was worried you lost your memories."

In my head, I finally tagged a name onto the boy. He had changed from how I remember him. His face had matured, and his sandy hair wasn't as messy as I remember, rather, it was short and cropped short. His muscles were toned and he had a glint in his eyes that I had never seen before. The thick white scar that stretched from just beneath his right eye to his jaw was new too.

"I remember you." I muttered, "You're Luke."

His grin widened.

**(Rory's POV)**

"Ouch!" I shouted as Tippin, a daughter of Apollo, dislodged a foot-long spike from my arm. The spike was a gift from the manticore I fought off when the monsters tried to siege Camp Half- Blood. They had charged up Half-Blood Hill growling and hissing and throwing jagged knives while swinging their clubs. I remembered thinking about how stupid it was for them to charge the hill since they couldn't get past the barrier. Nobody knew their real goal, until afterwards, when the unconscious Thalia was gone.

"It wouldn't hurt so much if you stopped moving," Tippin retorted.

"It's not my fault I'm ADHD," I grumbled.

Tippin finished dressing my wound and gave me some ambrosia to speed up the healing. I headed back to the crowded Hermes cabin since, I had to admit, I was beat. Fighting that manticore had really drained me, so I made my way through the crowd to my bed in the "Minors' corner," as we called it. 'We' being the sons and daughters of the minor gods shoved into the back corner of the cabin.

Even though I was completely exhausted, I was restless. I just stared at the empty beds around me, belonging to the kids who felt abandoned by their deity parents and left camp to join the titan army. I thought about the kids whose beds these were. Sam, only eleven years old, was a son of Hebe. He was always smiling, always optimistic; everyone was shocked when he deserted camp to join the titans. Jimmy and Lisa were children of Hecate. Meredith was the daughter of Iris. She insisted on drawing rainbows all over our beds when she was ten.

I stopped reminiscing before I could think about that last one. Her defection was the most painful, for me at least. Just thinking about her made my chest ache and hands get a little sweaty. Against my will, I started to remember Julie. The way her smile made my insides flip-flop. The way she would flip her hair and roll her eyes whenever someone complimented her. She never saw her own beauty.

I shook my head. I needed some fresh air.

I just roamed around the camp aimlessly past the twelve cabins, then through the woods to the river. I splashed some water on my face to clear my head. I couldn't stand what the titans were doing to my friends, twisting their minds, making them believe in the titans cause. I felt a burning hatred for the titans deep in my stomach. The titans were evil that was for sure. I couldn't believe some minor gods, my father included, would aid them in their bitter rivalry against the Olympians.

I was on my way back to my cabin when Grover stopped me.

He bleated, "Hey Rory, Chiron wants you to meet him at the Big House."

"For what?" I asked.

"He didn't say. He just said it was really important!"

With that, Grover scampered off, probably to find Juniper and make sure she's okay. The whole camp knew about their relationship. So, I started towards the Big House, wondering what on earth Chiron could want with me. I was, after all, only a son of Boreas, a minor wind god. No one special.

* * *

"Now let me get this straight," I interjected, "You want me to _spy_ on the _titans_?" Clearly, Chiron has lost his mind.

"Well, it has been known for a while now that the titans have implanted a spy in our midst, and I hate to make use of a tactic the titans utilize, but this seems to be the only option to defeat the titans. We have no idea what they are plotting, so we cannot even begin to fathom a way to trounce the titans," Chiron reasoned.

"But why send me?" I demanded, "Shouldn't you send someone like Percy Jackson who can stand their own against a room full of monsters?"

"The titans know well how Percy is and will never trust him. Dionysus and I have chosen you because, to the titans, you seem a likely candidate to join their side of this war, as you are a son of a minor god."

I guess it kind of made sense. I took a deep breath, "So when do I leave?"

Chiron told me that I was going to be sent to this sort of anti- Camp Half-Blood the titans have created called the Academy, modeled after the first academy founded by Plato. I was going to play the part of an ex-Camp Half-Blood camper who was tired of the way the minor gods' children were treated. Once inside, I'll earn their trust, working my way through the ranks until I have found out some major details that could help us win the war.

In case my cover gets blown, Dionysus has given me a few magical grape seeds that will take me right back to Camp Half-Blood. I'm hoping I won't have to use them, but who knows? I just hope I have time to eat the grape seeds before, well… I'd rather not think about it, lest I lose my nerve.

I finished packing. Chiron told me to pack lightly since I had to make it seem like I fled the camp in the cover of night. Now all that was left were the goodbyes. There weren't really that many to make, I wasn't exactly the most popular kid at camp. To most, I was just another kid shoved in the Hermes cabin. Mason was my only true friend. I guess I should probably count Tammy too, but I doubt she'd hang out around me if she wasn't dating my best friend. Daughters of Aphrodite like her and I had never really gotten along so well. Personally, I thought they were all a bunch of prissy snobs, but Tammy and that Salina girl weren't so bad. I sighed to myself and started off towards the Big House to go over the plan and last minute details with Chiron.

I was stopped on the way.

Mason clapped me on the back and said, "Kick some titan butt for us, man!"

I mock punched him in the arm and agreed, "I'll try." Technically I was supposed to befriend the titans not fight them, but I couldn't let anyone know that, according to Chiron. As far as my friends knew, I was going on a solo quest to try to find a secret weapon to use against the titans. I felt bad going behind my friends back, but it had to be this way.

We grinned at each other for a little, then his smile slipped, "I really am gonna miss you, Rory. You know Tammy's not gonna be much fun on guys night out."

I laughed. Tammy just rolled her eyes. "Be careful, Rory," She warned, "The titans are cruel and deceitful. You better watch your back so you come back safe and sound."

"I know, and I'll be careful." I felt a shiver of fear crawl up my spine. This wasn't going to be easy.

**(Thalia's POV)**

"So, other than yours truly, what else do you remember from before?" Luke questioned me over breakfast. Luke and I were at some truckers' joint just off the interstate 'cause it was only 3 a.m., and I was absolutely starving, which was understandable since I had spent the last few years as a tree.

"Well, not much," I admitted, "I remember a couple names, Grover and Annabeth," His face darkened when I said Annabeth's name, I wondered why… "I know who I am; I know that I'm the daughter of Zeus."

"Do you remember your mother, at all? Do you remember the car crash?" He pressed.

I pictured my mother in my mind. At first I felt kind of glad, happy that I remembered something more from my past. But then I remembered the sort of woman she was, and I was filled with anger. I despised her. She was a terrible mother, and I didn't miss her at all.

"Unfortunately, Yes."

Luke's gaze softened, "Hey, don't be upset. Memories both good and bad are very important. They make us who we are. I know that your mother was pretty horri-"

"I'm fine!" I snapped. I crossed my arms and leaned back in the booth. "I don't need any of your consolation. My mother didn't affect me or the decisions I made when she was alive, and she certainly doesn't now."

Luke, slightly fazed, just nodded.

We ate in silence. I practically swallowed my waffles whole while Luke just picked at his food. After a while, Luke asked, "Do you remember when we traveled with Annabeth? The three of us were a team, fighting off monsters."

I took a sip of coffee, "Yeah, I remember. We almost got killed a few times, though, didn't we? Where is Annabeth, anyway?"

He got that look on his face again, and I almost wished I hadn't asked.

"Annabeth," he faltered, "isn't really with us right now."

I gasped, "You mean she's dead?" I couldn't even fathom that the spunky little blonde with those big grey eyes was…_dead_.

"No, she just… is a little confused right now."

"Confused?"

He let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "She's just… there's a war coming, Thalia, a war that could very well result in the end of the world. I just need you to trust me. Please?" He pleaded, his eyes begging me to listen to and to trust in him.

"Okay," I breathed.

He smiled, then was about to say something more, but the worn-out waitress returned with our bill.

I watched Luke as he paid the bill. His tip was rather generous, considering both of our meals couldn't have cost more than twenty bucks. He really had matured quite a bit. He looked older and wiser, more confident and sure of himself, but he also seemed a lot sadder. I couldn't help but wonder what brought about these changes in him.

"You ready?" His question brought me out of my reverie.

"Ready for what?" I asked.

"To go to the Academy, Thalia. To go home."


	2. Chapter 2 Unanswered Questions

_**Dear readers,**_

_**I am so sorry it took me so long to finally update! Thank you all for being so patient, so here it is. I hope you like it and continue to review, please.**_

_**-Stealingthunder101**_

_**(Thalia's POV)**_

Luke explained to me that the Academy was a safe place for demigods like us to train, without the ridiculous organization and boundaries set up by camp half-blood. At the Academy, demigods weren't separated by who their godly parent was, so all the children of the minor gods weren't shoved into the Hermes cabin. At the Academy, you earned your way through the Levels of the school through fighting ability and tactics. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon are the different levels. Alpha, made up of the most elite students, is at the top of the food chain and Epsilon is filled with the new recruits.

I have to admit I was a little nervous about going to the Academy. I wanted to prove myself to Luke. To show him that I really was an excellent warrior and that I truly believed in this cause, and was willing to give it my all.

I wondered what the classes were like and, of course, what level I was going to be placed in. Luke told me that there was an initiation test I would have to take so that they could evaluate my skills to determine what level I should be placed in.

"We're here, Thalia." Luke stated.

I looked through the windshield of Luke's charcoal pick-up truck. Sure enough, I saw a gigantic grey building on the horizon. It looked just like a jail, complete with a barbed wire fence. The structure's windows were crisscrossed with bars. Overall, it was a very intimidating building.

"So that's the Academy?" I probed.

"Yeah, don't worry, although the appearance is kind of desolate, the boarding rooms really are pretty nice." Luke appeased. I certainly hoped Luke was right, because the building looked rather uninviting.

* * *

"So this is Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus?" questioned Hyperion, the secretary of the Academy. According to Luke, he was the titans' version of the god Apollo. He was the first sun and titan of light. His eyes shone a blinding white, with no irises or pupils.

"Yes sir." I replied. I always thought it was very important to be especially polite to the immortals. Whenever someone was rude to them, there's a plume of smoke and _ZAP _all that's left is a pile of ashes. That was one of the things I hated about the gods. They've had eons to learn to control their tempers, yet they still act like two-year-olds when they don't get their way.

"Well, Miss Grace, welcome to the Academy. Tomorrow you will undergo a series of tests to determine your Level, but for tonight you may stay in the guest chambers." Hyperion informed. He handed me a slip of paper, "Just take this to the Demigods' Resources Office right over there, where you will be guided to your room." He took out a folder and started working on something else, which I took as my cue to leave.

"Thank you, sir." I mumbled before heading out of the main office.

Luke was waiting for me on the other side of the door.

"So," He asked, "how did it go?"

I shrugged, "Fine. I guess."

"Do you have any questions for a seasoned member of the Alpha Level?" He joked.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah I do have questions. Like, how old am I? How long was I a tree? When and how will I get my memories back? What-"

"Thalia," He interrupted, "We already went through this. I will explain everything after you take the test tomorrow, okay?"

I refused to agree, which caused him to sigh. I had the right to know. I couldn't understand why he wouldn't tell me the truth about _me. _The whole car ride here he would just keep saying _I'll tell you everything after your testing tomorrow Thalia, after the testing... _

"Well, anyways, good luck out there tomorrow, the tests aren't easy."

I merely grunted in response. I wouldn't look at him, as I started off toward Demigods' Resources. Suddenly, Luke grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"Be safe," He whispered, as he cupped my face in his strong hands and landed a quick, soft kiss on my forehead.

His eyes bored into mine, his hands still cupping my face. "I will," I vowed. Luke started to walk away, leaving me in a stunned silence.A million thoughts spun in my head as I mulled over what had happened. _Did Luke just kiss me? What is this tingly feeling in my stomach? _

I didn't have the answers to these questions yet, so I just brushed my fingers across my forehead where he kissed me, then headed over to Demigods' Resources. I will have my answers after the testing.

_**(Rory's POV)**_

I remembered what Chiron had told me before I left camp.

"_No one but you, Dionysus, and I can know about this, we cannot risk jeopardizing your mission, because of the titans' spy. I will simply inform the other campers that you are on a quest." Chiron emphasized._

"_But," I started, "what about my friends?"_

"_No one can know, Rory. No one."_

I took a deep breath to calm myself and focus on the journey I'd be undertaking. No one but the titans knew exactly where their camp was, though I knew it was somewhere just outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was kind of excited to have the chance to travel out there since the farthest west I'd ever been was Buffalo. Even if I was forced to travel by freight train. Yes, it was exactly as bad as it sounds. Let's just say freight trains are not meant for passengers. First of all, the floor where I was sitting was lumpy and had nails sticking out of it all over the place. It was pitch black in there, and -Oh, did I mention the tens of thousands of rodents in there with me?

I had wanted to travel by plane, but Chiron informed me that there was no way to sneak aboard a plane, even with the help of the mist. Ergo, I departed on my week long journey to New Mexico.

After too long the train stopped at Albuquerque, where I jumped off. Now was the hard part- finding my way to the titan's lair. I figured it wouldn't be on the city map, so I wondered around the city looking for something, anything that could lead me to the titans.

Thirty minutes later, I was no closer to finding the titans. I did, however, manage to get myself completely and utterly lost in the ghetto. The houses were dilapidated. What once must have been white paint was now a faded shade of grey. The shutters were hanging off a few of the houses by one hinge. Numerous junk cars, old tires and only-the-gods-know-what-else were lying in the dirt yards. The street itself was zigzagged with cracks and potholes.

After walking at least two more miles through the ghetto, I was no closer to getting out. It seemed endless.

Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me. I grabbed the hilt of my sword and spun around, prepared for the worst. A hydra lunged at me. I blocked one of its heads with my sword, then dashed away. I tried to remember what Chiron had said about fighting hydras. I knew there was something that I wasn't supposed to do when fighting one, but I couldn't remember what. So, I just let instinct take over.

The hydra charged me a second time, this time I was more prepared for its attack. I quickly dodged then swung my sword, chopping one of the hydra's heads clear off. The hydra hissed in agony, which gave me a chance to decapitate a second head.

The hydra hissed, "You will pay mosssst dearly for that, puny boy."

Someone else might have made a sarcastic retort for the hydra, but I was never exactly a quick thinker, especially when it came to words. So I just swung my blade at the hydra. This time, the hydra dodged my attack then counterattacked, landing a nasty bite in my left arm. I felt my arm go numb as the poison spread. It's a good thing I was right-handed. Still, I had to be more careful, this hydra was quite the formidable opponent.

I watched the hydra's moves closely, waiting for my chance to strike. After fending off several blows, an opportunity presented itself and I chopped off three more heads in one fell swoop. Just two more to go.

The hydra's strikes became fiercer, and for a while all I could do was defend myself from its barrage of attacks. I felt my stamina begin to give in with the familiar burn in my muscles and my heavy breathing. Fortunately for me, the hydra seemed to be wearing down as well. This was going to be a battle of endurance.

The hydra got through my defense and knocked me to the ground. I struggled to my feet. If this truly was a battle of endurance, I would most certainly loose. I cursed in ancient Greek; I couldn't let this be the end of my mission, it hadn't even begun yet!

Fueled with adrenaline and the Twinkie I had for breakfast earlier this morning, I threw myself at the hydra one last time. I focused on the two remaining heads. Two heads. That's what had stood between life and death for me. I closed my eyes and slashed at the hydra with all of my force, letting loose a strange battle cry- I honestly don't know where it came from.

When I reopened my eyes, two heads laid on the street next to the hydra's limp body. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had really thought it was going to be the end for me.

I looked around at the houses on either side of the street, surely someone must have seen or heard my battle with the hydra. Amazingly, no one was staring out of their window gaping or calling the cops. The mist truly works wonders.

I started back down the street, rubbing my sore left arm. It was getting late. I was going to have to find some place to stay for the night. There should be a decent park bench or something _somewhere_ in this city.

Suddenly, I remembered what Chiron had said about fighting hydras.

_When fighting a hydra, one must never chop off one of its heads, for two more will grow in its place…_

I turned around and cursed. The hydra hissed at me with double the heads it started out with. All of its fourteen heads smirked at me. I tried to dodge its attack, but in a matter of seconds the hydra had me pinned to the ground.

"You will die, little boy. My masssssterssss will be very pleasssssed." It hissed.

I inquired, "Who are your masters?"

"The mosssst powerful titanssss! We will wipe your preciousss little godsss off the face of the earth!"

"But I am not loyal to the gods," I lied, "I want to join the titans."

"What." The hydra stared me down, as if trying to determine whether or not I was telling the truth. "I want to jusssst kill you, but my masssssters ordered me to bring any willing demigodsssss to them, even little scrawny babiessss like you. I will take you to the Academy…"

"Thank you."

"If you try to run away, I will not hesssssitate to kill you."

On that note, the hydra hurried off in the direction of the Academy. I felt a little excited that I would finally make it to the Academy, but I also felt an inexplicable sense of impending doom that made me shiver. I hurried after the hydra.


	3. Chapter 3 Into the Lion's Den

_**Rory's POV**_

The hydra stuck true to its word and took me to the Academy, well most of the way. Apparently, it had to attend to something of more pressing concern whenever we were only a mile off. So, it gave me directions, made me swear on the river Styx to tell the titans which hydra had most _generously_ pointed me to the Academy, then slithered away. I was left on my own, hoping I didn't look as nervous as I felt.

Despite the Academy's rather inhospitable outside appearance, it was pretty nice inside. The windows were adorned with crimson red drapes, the walls were painted a cheery ivory color and oriental rugs titivated the floor.

A massive sculpture of Kronos stood glaring down at whoever dared to pass through his doors. Paintings of the titan's greatest moments hung on the walls. The one to the right of me depicted Kronos devouring five of his children after he heard that one of them was going to overthrow him. I always wondered what would have happened if Kronos never heard that prophesy. If he never ate his children, would they ever have rebelled? I guess there wasn't really much use in wondering about something like this. Besides, I had much more imprtant things to attend to.

After asking around, I was kindly directed to the main office, where I would be registered, then sent to Demigods' Resources.

Once inside the office, I noticed a desk with _Hyperion: Secretary_ inscribed on a gold plate positioned on it. Then I noticed the man, who could only be Hyperion, sitting in the chair behind the desk. He was most definitely not human with the blinding glow in his eyes; I had to shield my eyes from the beams. I thought back to what Chiron had taught me about the titans.

"You're the titan of light." I recalled.

Hyperion cleared his throat, "Yes I am. Now, I trust you are another demigod who has seen the light, so to say, and decided to join the titans' cause?"

"Yes I am. My name is Rory Grey, I'm seventeen years old. Son of Boreas." I informed him.

"Alright, well welcome to the Academy, Mr. Grey." He filled out a couple of forms based on the information I gave him, then handed me a slip of paper to take to Demigods' Resources.

"Thank you, sir." I said before exiting the room to head to my next destination.

I felt a little faint on my way to Demigods' Resources, but I just brushed it aside, assuming it was nothing.

When I got into the room, there was a girl with raven black hair wearing some sort of punk/rocker/Goth get-up. She was discussing something with the woman sitting behind the desk. At the sound of my entrance, they both looked at me. The punk girl's electrifying blue eyes stared me down as I stood awkwardly in the frame of the door.

I gulped, "Uh, hi… sorry if I'm, well, interrupting anything, you see, I just got here..."

The woman sitting behind the desk clasped her hands together and smiled. She looked kind of like Demeter. "No, don't worry, you're not interrupting anything. You see, Miss Grace just arrived as well, so you're actually saving me time by only having to give the introductory speech once. I am Pompona the goddess of plenty, by the way. And who might you be?"

"My name is Rory Grey. I'm a son of Boreas." I replied.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Now, as I was telling Thalia, you both will have to take a placement test tomorrow to determine which Level of the school you will be assigned to. The five Levels are, from most advanced to beginner, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon."

The door opened rather abruptly as a skinny kid burst inside panting.

Pompona arched a brow and asked the boy, "Whatever is the matter, Mr. Phillips?"

"The monsters are rioting again in the cafeteria." He huffed.

She sighed, "Well, I suppose I must go attend to that. Mr. Phillips, do you mind taking Mr. Grey and Miss Grace on a tour of the Academy grounds?"

"What! But I have to-" Mr. Phillips argued.

Pompona interrupted, "It would be _highly_ appreciated if you would kindly show them around. Do you understand, Mr. Phillips?" Her eyes shone with a menacing glint and for some reason I was sure Pompona's request was actually more of a command.

"Yes, ma'am," He gulped.

The goddess smiled, "Excellent," then turned to Miss Grace and me. "Do not hesitate to ask Mr. Phillips any questions you may have; he has attended the Academy for three years now." With that she dialed a number, most likely informing the rest of the staff about the rioting monsters.

Mr. Phillips nodded, "Yeah, um, follow me."

He exited the room, then after only a brief moment of hesitation Miss Grace and I followed him out the door.

In an attempt to break the silence as we walked down the main corridor, Mr. Phillips said, "So, ah, my name is Bobby Phillips, son of Hecate. How 'bout you?"

The punk girl answered first, "Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus."

Bobby and I stood there, mouths agape, in absolute shock. What was _Thalia_ doing here? I had assumed that she was trapped in a dungeon somewhere, held captive by the evil titans. I never could have imagined that she would willingly join the titans.

Boddy recovered from the shock first, "Oh, um that's cool," He looked at me, "What about you."

"Rory Grey," I answered, "Son of Boreas."

He smiled a friendly grin at us as he welcomed us to the Academy, but his eyes showed that he was still just as shocked as I was that the punk girl standing next to was Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus. _Zeus:_ The King of the gods, wielder of the master bolt, Kronos' son, the ultimate enemy of the titans. The titans, with whom his daughter was siding.

The awkward surrounding us was practically palpable. When I couldn't stand it any longer, I asked Bobby, "So, do the monsters riot a lot, then?"

He shrugged, "It's not too common, but not exactly uncommon, either. You see, the monsters are just kinda antsy right now. They always get that way right before we take another step in the plan."

_Another step in plan?_ I wondered what it could be, but for now I decided to simply keep it in the back of my mind, not having the nerve to ask about the titan's plan yet. I was attempting to stay on the down low, and asking such a question would only rouse suspicion. At least, that's what I told myself.

Bobby guided us through the massive school, steering clear of the cafeteria. Every once in a while, he made an attempt to flirt with Thalia, but she just ignored him. As a matter of fact, she seemed like her mind was elsewhere throughout the tour.

We had started off towards the main classrooms, where students learned traditional subjects like algebra and chemistry, for 'it is important to have a well-rounded education, blah, blah, blah…' to the dormitories, then finally to training grounds that put Camp Half-Blood's to shame.

Surrounded by the massive Academy walls, the training grounds were in the main court yard outside, with the exception of the weight room and the lap pool which were indoors. There were five- no, six different obstacle courses throughout the arena, each looking more deadly than the last. Targets with various weapons sticking out of them lined the adjacent wall. Boulders tumbled down the steepest climbing wall in existence. Every kind of weapon ever made was hung up on the far wall, waiting. Swords were clashing, arrows rapidly fired hit their targets head on, spears were launched with deadly accuracy.

And that wasn't even the scary part.

Hundreds of half-blood soldiers and the titans' monsters cluttered the grounds. They were lethal and well-trained, each warrior poised and ready to strike down anything in their path. They were taught to fight with no restraints or mercy for their opponents. Unlike Camp, they weren't trained to survive; they were being trained to kill. I couldn't help but feel depressed, for against an army this size, Camp Half-Blood stood no chance.

Next to me, Bobby grinned, "Pretty impressive, isn't it? And this isn't even everybody."

Thalia and I gasped in unison, earning me a glare from the daughter of Zeus. I really wondered what was up with her whole 'I hate everyone and everyone hates me attitude.' It wasn't at all how Annabeth had described her old best friend, the brave, willful heroine. I was beginning to wonder if they had brainwashed her or something.

Just then, a group of about thirty demigods ran past, huffing and puffing with biceps as big as a tree trunk. He was shouting at them, "Come on, maggots. If you don't make the next lap in less than two minutes, you'll owe me ten more laps!" This, of course, was followed by a chorus of groans.

"That," Bobby stated, "is General Atlas."

I gulped shooting the single most threatening man I have ever seen a second glance. I honestly didn't know if I was really cut out for this, but then again, Chiron did pick me out of lots of campers, so I can't be that unfit, right? Though never the fastest or strongest, I had always tried my hardest and improved since I had first come to Camp. I was never the one who lagged behind either. Well, actually, I was rather awful at arts and crafts, but I didn't really count that.

Bobby brought me back to reality, "Don't look so frightened, as long as you do what you're told, you won't have a problem here." He cocked an eyebrow at Thalia, "And I could always put a good word in for someone as fine as you."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me, "Thalia spat. "Much less some cocky punk like you. And I'm not afraid." She looked like she was about to storm off, then realizing that she had no idea where to go, she settled on crossing her arms.

Bobby, who didn't look deterred in the least (I had a feeling that he was used to this response), held up his hands, "Hey, hey, no need to be so feisty. Though you are pretty adorable when you're angry."

Thalia fumed, "Just take me to my dorm before I electrocute you."

Bobby didn't seem to take Thalia's threat nearly as seriously as I did, but he still complied with her request.

I felt relieved to not have to continue watching the enemy train. I needed to just keep focused on my mission's goal: learning anything and everything about the titans' plans and army. To find this information out, I knew I had to earn the titans' trust. They were probably expecting a spy like me and were wary of new recruits, not just giving out their secrets to anyone who asked.

Half way to the guest suites, I began to feel dizzy, my breathing increased and my left arm began to burn for the second time that day. It was then that I remembered that I had been poisoned earlier in my fight against the hydra.

I tried to notify the guide, but he was too busy hitting on Thalia to notice the calamity of my situation.

He did, however, notice when I dropped to the floor just a few seconds later.


End file.
